Business Segments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 03, 2015	Sep. 27, 2014	Jun. 28, 2014	Mar. 29, 2014	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013	Jun. 29, 2013	Mar. 30, 2013	Jan. 03, 2015		Dec. 28, 2013		Dec. 29, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	$ 1,000,203	$ 978,665	$ 1,031,283	$ 946,292	$ 447,939	$ 445,130	$ 443,542	$ 465,657	$ 3,956,443		$ 1,802,268		$ 1,772,552
Cost of sales and operating expenses		22,900	24,300	14,900	19,200	19,300	19,900	20,200	3,123,171		1,339,819		1,303,727
Selling, general and administrative expense									374,580		170,825		151,713
Depreciation and amortization									269,517		98,787		85,371
Segment operating income/(loss)	39,662	49,925	75,485	(564)	18,536	41,652	50,802	58,576	164,508		169,566		231,741
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									65,609		7,660		(2,662)
Total other expense									(148,665)		(13,548)		(22,294)
Income before income taxes	73,580	27,090	50,078	(69,296)	23,078	45,024	42,753	52,823	81,452		163,678		206,785
Segment assets	5,170,713				3,244,133				5,170,713		3,244,133
Capital expenditures									228,918	[1]	118,307	[1]	115,413	[1]
Long-Lived Assets	4,117,100								4,117,100
North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales											2,131,978		1,802,268		1,772,552
Long-Lived Assets	2,422,050								2,422,050
Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales											1,438,320		0		0
Long-Lived Assets	1,407,402								1,407,402
China
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales											229,876		0		0
Long-Lived Assets	186,994								186,994
South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales											73,241		0		0
Long-Lived Assets	93,264								93,264
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales											83,028		0		0
Long-Lived Assets	7,390								7,390
Feed Ingredients [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales									2,421,462		1,788,563		1,766,611
Cost of sales and operating expenses									1,864,835		1,329,057		1,299,255
Gross Margin									556,627		459,506		467,356
Selling, general and administrative expense									205,484		149,160		123,483
Acquisition costs									0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization									158,871		93,120		81,122
Segment operating income/(loss)									192,272		217,226		262,751
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									1,842		0		0
Segment income									194,114		217,226		262,751
Segment assets	2,667,369				1,986,564				2,667,369		1,986,564
Capital expenditures									135,923		84,616		84,344
Food Ingredients [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales									1,248,352		0		0
Cost of sales and operating expenses									1,029,488		0		0
Gross Margin									218,864		0		0
Selling, general and administrative expense									118,716		0		0
Acquisition costs									0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization									73,274		0		0
Segment operating income/(loss)									26,874		0		0
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									0		0		0
Segment income									26,874		0		0
Segment assets	1,734,387				0				1,734,387		0
Capital expenditures									61,657		0		0
Fuel Ingredients [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales									286,629		13,705		5,941
Cost of sales and operating expenses									228,848		10,762		4,472
Gross Margin									57,781		2,943		1,469
Selling, general and administrative expense									8,596		928		326
Acquisition costs									0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization									27,898		368		122
Segment operating income/(loss)									21,287		1,647		1,021
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									63,767		7,660		(2,662)
Segment income									85,054		9,307		(1,641)
Segment assets	693,921				179,722				693,921		179,722
Capital expenditures									21,392		162		66
Corporate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales									0		0		0
Cost of sales and operating expenses									0		0		0
Gross Margin									0		0		0
Selling, general and administrative expense									41,784		20,737		27,904
Acquisition costs									24,667		23,271		0
Depreciation and amortization									9,474		5,299		4,127
Segment operating income/(loss)									(75,925)		(49,307)		(32,031)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									0		0		0
Segment income									(75,925)		(49,307)		(32,031)
Segment assets	75,036				1,077,847				75,036		1,077,847
Capital expenditures									9,946		33,529		31,003
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales									3,956,443		1,802,268		1,772,552
Cost of sales and operating expenses									3,123,171		1,339,819		1,303,727
Gross Margin									833,272		462,449		468,825
Selling, general and administrative expense									374,580		170,825		151,713
Acquisition costs									24,667		23,271		0
Depreciation and amortization									269,517		98,787		85,371
Segment operating income/(loss)									164,508		169,566		231,741
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									65,609		7,660		(2,662)
Segment income									230,117		177,226		229,079
Segment assets	$ 5,170,713				$ 3,244,133				$ 5,170,713		$ 3,244,133

[1] Excludes the capital assets acquired as part of the acquisition of assets related to VION Acquisition and Custom Blenders acquisition in fiscal 2014 of approximately $984.2 million, the Terra Transaction and the Rothsay Acquisition in fiscal 2013 of approximately $167.0 million and the BioPur acquisition in fiscal 2012 of approximately $0.6 million